Book Review- Die For Me by Amy Plum

Title: Die For Me

 Author: Amy Plum

Series:  Revenants #1

Published:  May 10 2011 by Harperteen, May 11 by Atom

Length:344 pages

Warnings: violence, romance 13+

Source: Library

Other info: The sequel, Until I Die, will be out today. The third, If I Should Die, will hopefully be out in 2013.

Summary : In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.  When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Review: After Kate and Georgia’s parents die in a car crash, they move to Paris to live with their grandparents and attempt to put their lives back together. But then Kate meets Vincent Delacroix-handsome and perfect. At least, if you forget that he is a Revenant-an undead being whose purpose is to protect humans-to die for them, if necessary. You also have to forget the fact that he is completely out of action for three days per month. And the fact that being his girlfriend can be dangerous on many levels.

I was so ready to love this book. Five stars from many of my bloggy friends, and a really cool idea. It could have been so good. And the start of it was very promising-so many different ways it could go.

And then Kate sees Vincent. And from there on for the majority of the book, it just isn’t my thing.

Instalove for both parties. Semi-typical tortured hero with hidden problems. A totally devoted girlfriend. I can see why others would like it, but there’s just too much romance for each paranormal part, which is not a ratio that I like. But other people do.

Kate isn’t the best character ever. She’s quite dependent on Vicnent, doesn’t develop. And the only really really cool thing she does at the end is only because Vincent is acting through her. So I’m not sure if you can really count that. Vincent is a little too perfect, not that interesting to me and a little bit boring.

The family that Vincent goes home to are really good characters though. Some of them, I didn’t really care for, but Charlotte in particular was well built. I think she was my favourite character. Or Joanna or whatever her name was (I don’t have the book in front of me), the one who’d been with the family for ages. I also liked the way that all the Revenants were ready for battle pretty much all the time.

As for plot development-there’s the starting twenty pages which were good, the middle where nothing really happens aside from Kate and Vincent loving eachother, and establishing enemies, which was totally boring, and finally we get to the end.

And, after getting through 300 pages, I’m rewarded with a bloodbath. The only bit that properly kept me reading and interested.

Overall:  strength 2 tea to a promising book that didn’t work for me. However, I can see how more romanc-y liking people would enjoy it.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website |